


A Thousand Times

by mingyunwoo



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Bittersweet, Friends to Lovers, Jeon Wonwoo is Whipped, Kim Mingyu is Whipped, Light Angst, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22926313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mingyunwoo/pseuds/mingyunwoo
Summary: Kwon Soonyoung is drunk and has said some words better left unsaid. It disrupts a party and left Mingyu and Wonwoo to discuss feelings they tried to ignore for so long.
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 61





	A Thousand Times

**Author's Note:**

> A quick fic just so I can get Sara Bareilles' 1000 Times out of my system. I apologize if most of my works involve break-ups or one person leaving another one behind to go abroad. It's an overused trope by now, but it's the best I can think of. This isn't something I thought through too much but rather was thought of as it was written. Minimal proofreading was done, but I will look through it again tomorrow. For now, please enjoy and leave comments about what you think!

The room is empty except for me and Soonyoung. I walk him to the front door trying to avoid the debris and confetti spread across the floor, red cups placed on tabletops, and decorations sticking out of the wall.

“Mingyu,” Soonyoung turns towards me again as I open the door of the apartment to let him out. “I really am sorry about what I said. I’m really drunk and I wasn’t thinking clearly…”

“It’s fine, Soonyoung,” I tell him. And it really is fine. I look out into the kitchen and see Wonwoo trying to clean up then look back to Soonyoung. “We’ll talk about it and see what happens. I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Alright,” He gives my shoulder a firm hold then left. I close the door behind him. 

I take a deep breath as I hear Wonwoo walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. I know once I turn around it will start. I will have to talk to him about what was said and what has aired out abruptly in the middle of festivities. What suddenly changed the mood of the party. I finally turned around and looked at Jeon Wonwoo standing a few meters away from where I stand, holding a trash bag. I give him a weak smile unsure of whether I’m the one to break the awkward silence.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Wonwoo asks. Straightforward and direct, not wanting to waste a moment. 

“What’s there to tell?” Mingyu says. “It’s not like it’s a big deal, Wonwoo. It’s nothing!”

“Nothing?” Wonwoo responds. He puffs out a laugh as if he finds the whole scenario ridiculous. “It’s  _ not  _ nothing, Mingyu.”

I stand there unable to look at him because he’s right - it’s not nothing at all.

“How long?” Wonwoo asks. 

“I don’t know,” I respond quickly. I walk my way into the kitchen to grab a trash bag and help him with cleaning. “One? Two years? It doesn’t matter, Wonwoo, please let it go.”

“You having feelings for me is something I can’t let go, Mingyu,” Wonwoo said. The elephant in the room. The words I was afraid to hear him say. Up until this point, I thought we could just let it go like it’s just something we shouldn’t talk about again in years and will laugh about in the future. But he said it. It made me stop my steps and pause for a second.

“It’s just me, Wonwoo,” I face him looking at him directly, trying to laugh off whatever frustration he and I are feeling inside the room. “It’s not. A big. Deal. Just get over it.”

“Wow,” Wonwoo says, feeling even more frustrated. 

“What’s there left to say, Wonwoo, really,” I speak as I gather all the trash into the bag around the room. “I like you. You’re my best friend, and sometimes I wish we could be more than that. But I never had the guts to tell you because you always tell me and our friends how I’m like a brother to you and that’s all.”

Wonwoo just stands on his side of the room not moving one bit. It’s strange seeing him this frustrated over something so simple. 

“And you’re right, Wonwoo,” I face him as I say it. “We work together as friends and it would suck if we tried to turn this into something that can easily break. I don’t want to lose what we have okay, so I let it go. Forget about what Soonyoung said. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Wonwoo moves to the sofa and sits. He looks defeated. I try to measure the weight of his emotions right now, but I can’t put a pin on it. Why does he care so much?

“This sucks,” He blows out a puff of air from his lips. 

“Why is it a big deal to you, Wonwoo?” I ask him finally. “Things don’t have to change. We can forget Soonyoung ever said anything. We can move past this. I don’t know why you’re making this so... hard.”

“I can’t just let this go, Mingyu,” He turns to me with a frustrated look. “It’s not that simple.”

“But it is!”

“It’s not you know why?” He asks looking at me threateningly.

“Why?” I answer him returning his hard-hitting tone. “Why is it such a big deal for you, Wonwoo?”

“Because I like you, too!” His voice got a bit softer as he uttered the last few words.  _ He likes me too. _ I stand there and he’s sitting down, but there’s one thing we’re both doing - we’re looking at one another. “I like you.”

I’m caught off guard. I’m in complete and utter shock. I want to be happy, but I’m not. I want to smile at him and finally kiss him, but I hold back. It’s not because I don’t like him anymore, but this means things are becoming more and more complicated. “Ohh,” it’s the only words I’m able to say. They’re not even actual words. They’re interjections. It’s the only words I can say to interrupt the deafening silence that’s been going on for minutes.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo is relaxed on his chair. I’m looking at him. The shape of our faces has changed from frustration to something else. I can’t explain it. Is it pity? Regret? 

“How long?” I ask him because I have zero clues at all. 

“I knew since the day I met you, and even before that.” He admits. It can’t be. “Do you remember it at all?” I want to say yes but it was a vague memory. “Soonyoung introduced us on the day of my art exhibit. Back in college. But even before that, I’ve been dying to meet you for some godforsaken reason. Once I got to know you we hit it off quickly, and I thought I finally had the chance until you said I was your best friend. You kept saying it and you kept telling your friends and my friends. I am your best friend. I was happy about it at first, but then it turned into something normal. It was like I couldn’t find a way to break out of the best friend zone. And just like you, I didn’t want to ruin what we have, Mingyu. I held back.” 

“So, basically, we’re just both cowards then?” I tell him trying to lighten up the mood inside the room. It earned a small chuckle from him and I finally eased up. I take a seat on the sofa but at the opposite end of where he’s seated. “This sucks.”

He takes a look at me but it takes me a moment to turn my head and look at him. When I finally did, I looked at him. I wanted to close the inches between us and feel him my warmth pressed against his. I hope he’s thinking the same thing. “Would it be okay if I kissed you at least?” That question. He is thinking of the same thing.

Without thinking I rushed into Wonwoo and pressed my lips against his. I allowed myself to get lost in his touch and embrace. I kiss him like we don’t have enough time in the world. I explore his hair, neck, and back with my hands. I pull him towards me and wish I don’t have to let go. Not even to breathe. We hold each other at that moment perfectly still as we explore a range we’ve never had the courage to explore before. I rest my hand at the back of his neck while he holds me still at my waist. 

I pull away first. I smile at him while we press our foreheads against each other. He laughs and we’re both filled with happiness over a beautiful revelation. 

“You are perfect, Kim Mingyu,” he says silently - almost like a whisper but not quite. “I am so lucky to have you as my best friend… and more.”

If it was any other day, I would be so happy to hear those words from Wonwoo. But it’s today. And today means it won’t last too long because in less than 15 hours Wonwoo will walk out of that door, ride a taxi to the airport, and move to Italy for an apprenticeship he signed up for two months ago. 

Wonwoo senses my sadness as I break free from his hold. “I know what you’re thinking. Stop.”

I look at him. He looks fine, not worried at least one bit about our current predicament.

“Mingyu, you’re overthinking things, okay? Just stop. Let’s talk about it.”

“Wonwoo,” I finally say. “I don’t think this is a great idea. I can be your friend. What if we just let it be that until you come back.”

“And I agree,” He says. “But I’m sure about this. Two years isn’t that long, Mingyu. We’ll be fine. I’m still your best friend, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wait for each other, right?”

We hold each other’s gaze. He is hopeful while I’m not even trying to hide my worry.

“I like you so much, Mingyu. I have liked you for so long already, and it sucks that I have to be away for a while. We waited long enough, so what’s two years more?”

I close my eyes and imagine myself falling. I drop to something I’m not certain of. That’s what it feels like as I utter the next words, “Okay.”

“Okay?” Wonwoo stands up and walks towards me again. Holding me within distance. He takes my hand and looks at me. I see his eyes filled with so much hope and certainty, something I wish I had. But seeing him this self-assured about everything gives me that kind of hope as well. 

“I like you so much, Jeon Wonwoo. So, okay,” I say. I am holding his hand and it finally feels like we are falling together. It might be an abyss, an endless fall, but at least it’s with him. Uncertain as I am, there’s one thing I’m sure of, and that’s Jeon Wonwoo - and I’d come back for him a thousand times. 


End file.
